Author: J. Douglas Hoyes, CA, LIT

Whether your inheritance is included in a bankruptcy depends entirely on when you become entitled to receive the proceeds. As this is a complex issue, I talk with Ted Michalos and we take a detailed look... Read more »

The best way to control your auto expenses is to buy a car you can afford. This keeps your monthly car loan payments low (since you borrow less) and ensures that you don’t over-finance. But... Read more »

Debt accumulates over time, a little bit here, a little bit there. You don’t notice the balance growing until it’s too late. Why not take the same approach to pay off debt? Making multiple, small... Read more »

Every financial guru says that achieving success starts with setting a goal. I disagree. While there is some benefit to setting goals, you are more likely to achieve success if, instead of focusing on goals,... Read more »

This past year may prove to be a turning point for household debt in Canada and not in a good way. As of October 2018, Canadian household debt reached a whopping $2.158 trillion. Undoubtedly, this... Read more »

It’s been a long time coming, longer than Ted Michalos and I predicted in our past year-in-review podcasts. We predicted that 2014 and 2015 consumer insolvencies would remain flat, and they did. However, last year,... Read more »

Financial technology, or fin-tech, has come a long way. Much more than just a budgeting app, now you can do your banking, money management, investing and even borrowing, online. In addition to apps, fin-tech companies... Read more »

When you have debt, Christmas is a stressful time. With pressure to spend on family, friends, co-workers, and maybe even your barber, the season turns into more of a financial burden than a time to... Read more »

If you have a lousy credit score, chances are you already carry high-interest debt. Your ability to obtain a debt consolidation loan at a reasonable rate when you have bad credit is severely compromised. You... Read more »

The death of a spouse and divorce bring an emotional burden, but sadly such catastrophic events also cause financial trauma. In fact, the death of a spouse or divorce are both common reasons why people file... Read more »

If you are out of work or laid-off and need to upgrade your skills to improve your employment potential, how can you do this without incurring more debt? The Ontario government has a Second Career... Read more »

It’s not as uncommon as you think for someone to become debt free by filing a consumer proposal, and then, years later, face financial hardship again and require another plan to pay off debt. The... Read more »

Indebted Canadians pay at least $24 million a year for what is often unnecessary debt advice. How does this happen? Well, when you have overwhelming debt, you’re not just thinking about the money. There’s also... Read more »

Being injured or in an accident can have broad reaching financial implications. In addition to the costs of care, you can lose income if you are off work and may incur additional legal costs. Finding... Read more »